Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
This vegan spinach artichoke dip recipe is so easy and delicious no one will ever know it’s dairy-free and made with simple, healthy ingredients!
Features
- Dietary Needs: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, can be oil-free.
- Great dip for holidays, gatherings, game day or any special occasion.
- High in fibre and protein.
- Amazingly creamy and cheesy yet completely dairy-free!
- No fancy ingredients needed. Everything you need to make this recipe is easy to find.
- Versatile! Enjoy as a dip or pair with pasta, avocado toast or pizza!
Ingredient Notes
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
- Cashews: Use plain, raw cashews with no added oil or salt. The cashews will need to be soaked for at least 6 hours up to overnight.
- Artichoke Hearts: You’ll need roughly two 14 oz cans of artichoke hearts in brine or water. Drain, rinse and chop them before using in the recipe.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Use any unsweetened plant-based milk. Almond or cashew is suggested for their mild taste.
- Oil: A bit of oil is used for sautéing the garlic. For an oil-free dip, you can use use water or broth.
- Nutritional Yeast: Adds a “cheesy” flavour to the dip. This is a key factor in the dish so I can’t recommend a substitution except maybe vegan parmesan, though I haven’t tested that. If you’re not familiar with nutritional yeast, read this: what is nutritional yeast?
- Spinach: Fresh spinach works best.
Step-by-Step with Photos
Before You Start: Soak the cashews in a bowl of water for at least 6 hours up to overnight. For best results, soaking them overnight is recommended, especially if you don’t have a high-speed blender. When you’re ready to proceed with the recipe, preheat the oven to 400 F.
Step 1: Saute the garlic in a hot pan in a bit of oil. You can use water or broth if you prefer an oil-free recipe.
Step 2: Add the drained cashews, milk, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend until very smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add the spinach, garlic and chopped artichoke hearts and pulse a few times until you get a creamy but chunky texture.
Quick Tip: At this point, taste the dip and adjust seasonings as needed. You might like a little more nutritional yeast, salt, lemon or pepper.
Step 4: Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, bake until hot, bubbly and browned and enjoy!
Quick Tip: For extra flavour and texture, you can sprinkle some breadcrumbs and or dairy-free parmesan on top before baking. If you like a little heat, a light sprinkle of red pepper flakes is nice too!
FAQs
Yes. To freeze spinach artichoke dip, let the dip cool completely, cover well or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. The dip can be reheated in the oven until heated to your preference.
This particular recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan so works for different dietary needs. It’s somewhat high in fat and calories due to the cashews but it’s made with wholesome, whole food ingredients you can feel good about.
Spinach artichoke dip is delicious served with crusty baguette slices, pita chips or bread, veggie sticks, crackers or tortilla chips.
Sure! I think it’s better hot but it can definitely be enjoyed cold too..
Storing
- Fridge: Let cool then cover well and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Let cool then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm in the oven at 350 F for 10 to 15 until heated through or microwave in short intervals until warm.
- Make in Advance: The dip can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to bake.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Amazingly creamy yet dairy-free spinach artichoke dip that’s super easy to make with simple ingredients and perfect for a delicious crowd-pleasing appetizer!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked and drained (250 g)
- 3 ½ cups chopped artichoke hearts (400 g or 2 14 oz cans, well-drained)
- 1 ⅓ cups unsweetened plant-based milk (250 mL)
- 1 tsp olive oil (5 mL, for oil-free, use water or broth)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (10 grams)
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast (25 g)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (45 mL)
- 4 tablespoons water (60 mL)
- 5 cups loosely packed, chopped fresh spinach (150 g)
- ½ –1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Soak the cashews for at least 6-12 hours. For best results, soak overnight. When ready to proceed, drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Heat a non-stick pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- In a high-speed blender, add the cashews, unsweetened milk, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, pepper and salt and blend until very creamy and smooth.
- Add the chopped spinach, garlic and the chopped artichoke hearts.
- Pulse a couple of times until you get a chunky yet creamy texture.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings to your liking. You may want a bit of extra salt, pepper, nutritional yeast or lemon.
- Transfer the batter to a baking dish (22 x 17 cm) and bake for 15-20 minutes until hot, bubbly and golden brown on top.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days and reheated as needed in the oven or microwave. To freeze, let dip cool completely then cover well or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approx. 1/4 cup
- Calories: 132
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 122 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
For those who cannot eat cashews (like myself), I made this and substituted sunflower seeds. The dish came out great and was a big hit. I can’t compare it to the cashews but I will definitely be making this again. I would note that this recipe makes a very large amount that would be suitable for a large crowd. If it is a smaller gathering I will be halfing the recipe or freezing a portion to be made later. It was more than I could fit in my blender so I used a food processor and that worked fine .
Thanks for the feedback, Nathan! Glad you enjoyed it.
did you soak the sunflower seeds? 🙂 going to make next week!
This dip was delicious, easy to make, and yielded way more than I anticipated! Perfect for a hot appetizer and the leftovers were just as good cold. Thanks for the recipe!
Was SO good!! And easy. Just plan for the cashews soaking. A big hit!
Thanks for trying it! So glad it was enjoyed.